It's Just A Cold
by EgonMesser
Summary: Patrick is known as the bad-boy of his school and enjoys the solitude it creates. But when he receives some unexpected news, he will find himself needing support from not only those who he cares for, but from those who fear him the most. First Story
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Guys and Gals! :) So this is my first attempt at a fan fiction (well at least one I am willing to show people), and would love if you'd let me know what you think. So read and review please!**

**Also, I sadly do not own anything to do with 10 Things I hate About You. **

**Note: Anything centered and in italics are thoughts of the character. Just so you know. (:**

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It's Just A Cold

His father used to always say that a man who was brought down by sickness, should stay down. But did he truly understand what it was like? For the man who said this every time his son complained about a headache, or a belly-ache, rarely even felt the effects of a spring cold sniffle. Forgetting those memories of childhood flue's and colds, they became only a sign of weakness to him. But he truly had no idea. He didn't know what it was like to wake up day after day in a body that wanted nothing more than to cause its tenant pain. But his son did. Oh boy, did he ever. Thankfully his drunk of a father was no longer around to remind him of the weakness that he was showing.

But those years of lectures and rants were still fresh in the young adults mind as he woke up for what felt like the 30th day groaning against the sickness he was feeling. And just like the past few mornings, this action is immediately regretted as his body is wracked with a wave of painful and powerful coughs. Later when his mind clears and he is able to think without too much pain, he will realize that this attack is the worst one yet.

But for now, he curls into himself, wrapping his weak arms around his torso as he opens his eyes slowly.

_Why does the sun have to be so bright?_

Ignoring the protest coming from his head, he turns towards the alarm clock sitting beside his bead.

_7:28. The alarms going off in two minutes. Dam. _

And when it does, he slowly moves his body and goes through the rituals of getting ready school. But it seems like each day they are getting harder and harder. Still, as he tells him self each day: _its just a cold. _

But one that has lasted for nearly a month. Causing him to feel weaker and weaker each week, and have nose bleeds that last so long, that by time he gets them to stop he is to weak to move from his position on the bathroom floor. Just a few days ago he fell after one of these nose bleeds, hitting his arm on the bathroom sink. A corner shaped bruise showing wear it made contact.

And just like the other bruises he has gotten from simple trips and falls, they last longer than any he has ever had before. As he changes his shirt, he grazes his fingers across his side where a large round bruise can be seen, this was acquired after tripping on a step going up to his bedroom on day. A day two weeks ago. Two weeks. And it still looks like new.

Wrenching his hand away from the bruise, he throws on a black t-shirt quickly over his pale torso. Hiding his worry underneath its thin fabric. But it only comes back as he pulls on a clean pair of jeans, easily noticing just how loose they were becoming as he grabs a belt from his dresser.

Pushing these worries to the back of his mind, with his back pack hanging lazily over his shoulder, he quietly walks down the carpeted stairs. Then like habit, he grabs the nearly empty bottle of aspirin sitting on the kitchen counter.

_Right, I have to remember to pick some up after school._

Popping a few in his mouth, he slips some into his jean pocket, just in case he finds the need to take some during school.

School. Does he really want to go? With the way he is feeling, he could easily stay home without a care and sleep this ridiculous school day away. But for some reason, he feels as though he has to go. Not for the information that is forced into his head, nor the ridiculous attention seeking class-mates that do nothing more than annoy the shit out of him. But it may have to do with the open-minded brunette that has haunted his dreams since the first day she walked into his school. Into his life. He can't stop thinking about her. Even through his sickened clouded mind, he see's her face. Constantly.

Yeah, she's why he gets up each day, no matter how sick he feels. Just seeing her mocking smile makes the pain go away, even for a little while.

Quickly opening the fridge door, he downs a few mouth full's of cough medicine. Doing this, he hopes that the pain he experiences each time he breaths will just go away for a while. So he can get through school, then get home so he can forget about just how worried he is getting. For he knows this is not like any other cold he has ever had, its much more. But still, he has never liked doctors.

So continuing the rest of his routine, he grabs an apple he knows he will never eat from the counter as he walks slowly to the living room, fighting down another painful cough causing his to slouch slightly. Once the feeling is gone, he continues towards the sleeping form taking up the dark brown cough set against the far wall. Making sure she is sleeping and breathing deeply, he takes the half empty bottle of foul smelling liquid from he skinny hands. Setting it aside, he brushes the hair from her face.

_Jesus Mom. Aren't you tired of all this yet? _

That's another reason he refuses to admit to himself that its not just a cold taking over his body. His mom. His weak and fragile, drunk of a mother, who spends her days drowning her self with a nice bottle of Jack. Ever since his father left, this has been her only escape. No matter how much her son needs her, or yells at her. She doesn't need any more pain, or worry. She doesn't need to get the thought in her head that she is loosing a nothing male in her life.

_Stop thinking that, its not like I am dieing or anything. So just, shut up. _

With an angry growl, he pushing him self up, stumbling at first when his weak legs protests. Steadying himself against the arm of the couch, he takes deep breaths, as deep as his angry lungs will allow. But still, he feels more coughs making their way up his throat. So as quickly as his body would allow, he grabs the bottle he previously sat down, and takes it to the kitchen. Just making it into the door way before another wave of coughs wrack his body.

Blinking against the black spots taking over his vision, he slowly sits down on the tile floor as the coughs begin to slow down. For a few minutes he stays there. Ignoring the burning pain in his throat and chest, ignoring the pounding in his head, and ignoring the flow of snot coming out of his nose. All in all, ignoring everything that puts a damper on the happiness he has felt ever since the pretty brunette first yelled at him. He wont let anything mess up the feelings he hasn't felt in so long, for Kat is special. Nothing can ruin that.

So once he can see clearly and his breathing has became normal again, he slowly gets up rubbing his sore chest. Eying the still sleeping women on the couch, he grabs the box of tissue from the top of fridge and wipes away the snot aggressively. Stuffing a handful of the white material into the pocket of his leather jacket as he grabs it from the kitchen table and quietly walks out the door. Out towards the bike he knows he's getting too weak to drive. To go to the school he knows he's getting too sick to even think about. But he knows if he doesn't go, he will be admitting to himself that he's ill. And Verona's don't get sick. At least, that is what his father always said.

But still, he goes. Because, what can he say, even if he _is _sick, its **just a cold. **

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**So I got the idea for this story when I watched Ethan Peck's film Tennessee for the first time. I thought it would be interesting to explore the idea of his character in 10 Things I Hate About You going through a similar situation, so I though I'd give it a try. I hope you like it so far, and if I get a good response I will continue. So R&R! :D**

**Also, I am sorry for any mistakes or errors you may have found, I tried to fix it up as best as I could. Remember, this is my first story, So any response good AND bad would be loved. **

**Thank You  
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**-EgonMesser  
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	2. Chapter 2

**Good Evening guys and gals. I present to you, Chapter Two! I hope you all like it and I apologize for its shortness, but it seemed like the perfect spot to end it. However, I will be trying to make the following chapters more lengthy. **

**A/N: Remember, I own nothing to do with 10 Things I Hate About You.  
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Chapter Two

The wind felt nice. It cooled down his warm skin and soothed is pounding head as it moved lightly through his black helmet. It woke him up a bit, making him more aware of his surroundings. But still, being cautions, he moved at a speed much slower than he was used to. Maneuvering his bike with ease around his surroundings, even when he found himself cowering over his body, the pain in his chest increasing. Thankfully he had ridden around this area so frequently that it was like the black wheels knew their own way along the familiar roads. This allowing his clouded mind to glaze over against the different pains attacking it.

He knew he had to see a doctor soon, but he liked taking care of things on his own. With a few aspirins and nice hot shower, he'll feel fine in no long.

Yeah right.

He knew his was pulling his own leg, trying to lie to himself about how he really was feeling. He's told himself that an uncountable amount of times. Even the one girl he never wanted to see him show weakness knew something was wrong. On several occasion during the past few weeks, she has looked up at him with worry yet determination in her eyes as she used any threat that may have pop into her head at the moment. But so far, it hasn't worked. And it wont any time soon.

_Or will it?_

He really didn't know what to do. Continue trying to make a man proud that he hasn't seen in 5 years and ignore the girl he cared for the most, or listen to every reasonable thought that was popping into his head and go see the doctor.

Whatever. He'll figure things out tonight. He'll judge how he is feeling by then, and if, only if he is still feeling worse, he will get an appointment with his doctor.

_I'm sure Kat will love that. Winning. _

But at the moment, he had to use all the concentration he had left in his body to stay on the now extremely heavy feeling bike as he entered the school grounds. Keeping a look out for any teenagers and badly driven cars as he moved to an open space near the front door. Getting in an accident with his already angry body would not be the best idea.

And as he pulled into the closest spot, he can feel his body aching to get off. It just wanted to lay down on the ground for a few hours and turn into a blob of painful flesh. Actually, never moving again sounded like an attractive notion.

With a cautious sigh, not wanting to set off another cough attack, he turned the bike off and got off its heavy mass as the kickstand was put down. However he found himself having to quickly disguise a fall as his tired legs began to give out. So as smoothly as he was able to, he leaned back down on the leather seat resting an arm on the handlebars. Getting his breath under control quickly, he smoothly took off his helmet with the arm not busy keeping him up right.

Holding in the coughs burning the inside of his chest, he looked around lazily at the other students idling around in wait for the first bell. Those who had watched him drive in, quickly hid their gazes as they were met by a cold brown look. A shiver running up their spines at the mysterious yet extremely interesting body on the sexy black vehicle. Thankfully, it seems he had hid his stumble well. Making it look like he sat in waiting for someone, rather than sitting waiting for enough energy to drag his tired body through the school doors.

_Practice makes perfect, I guess. _

That was something his mother used to always say to him. Back when she was sober. And as he successfully hides yet another stumble on the school ground, he begins to remember those many times she said that to him as he tried yet another new activity.

This distant memory quickly leaves his mind however, as a familiar, clunky vehicle makes its way demanding through the many students. Allowing a few coughs out, he eases the pain in his chest and quickly gets himself under control. He was not in the mood for another lecture of why it would best for him to go to the doctors. Like he didn't know that already, thanks.

So making sure his breath was under control, and the now building nausea that was taking its familiar place in his throat was kept down, he pushed himself on his now surprisingly strong legs.

_See, just seeing the girls ugly car is enough to make me feel better. It's all good now. All better. _

Plastering his legendary smirk on his pale face, he settled into a position in front of the main doors, leaning against the wall he knew Kat would move past to enter the school.

And then there she was. It was easy to tell something had annoyed her, her whole aura sparking with frustration. It may have something to do with the teens younger sister, who he could see stomping off in the opposite direction, a similar look on her face. Like always, this foul mood she is in does nothing less than amuse the hell out of him.

_God she's sexy when she's pissed._

"You know, I like you when your angry. Its kind of sexy." He easily quips as she approaches where he stood.

She looks surprised at first when she first hears his deep voice coming from the wall close by. She hadn't seen him as of yet, annoyance directed towards her preppy sister still heavy on her mind.

But she quickly sets herself in her normal mode as she roles her eyes and stomps right past the man that causes her whole body to tingle just with his presence. Don't get her wrong, all she wants to do his walk up to the man presently haunting her conscious and unconscious mind and capture his lips with hers. But really, she wasn't in the mood for his arrogance. No matter how sexy it is. But she did expect him to follow her. No, she depended on it.

A deep chuckle escaped Patrick Verona's lips as he watched her storm through the crowed of students, yelling threats to anyone who stepped in her way.

But he should have known he would regret it. For not a second later, his breath caught in his throat and the ever present pain increased. He quickly shot out a hand to hold him up against the nearest wall as he doubled over against the attack of coughs he had been holding in since he left his house. Again, black spots began to blur his vision as the pounding in his head increased with each wracking cough.

Too focused on keeping conscious and holding down the vowel substance making its way up his throat, he did not notice Kat turning back around with worry in her eyes as the sound of his coughing reached her ears. Nor did he feel her quickly walk to his side and place her hand on his back, trying to sooth the pain from his abused chest as she softly rubbed his toned back. Both unaware of the crowed forming around the pair, gawking at the schools bad-boy nearly falling over against the schools wall.

It wasn't until a girl from their English class stepped forward. Emily, yeah, that's her name. Gaining enough balls to approach the ill-talked about pair.

"Are you alright, do you need me to get someone?" It was a timid question, barely louder than a whisper. Not knowing what the response would be.

Snapping his previously closed eyes open, Patrick quickly tried to stifle the coughs as he tried with all his might to stand up straight.

"What the fuck… are you all looking at." He growled at the unexpected audience in-between coughs. Giving them a look that was enough to send any one running, he shook off the soothing hand that had previously been sending unfamiliar tingles down his body and began walking away.

He didn't get far however, before his head began feeling light and the floor moved underneath his feet. Behind him, he could hear a distant voice yelling his name, but it sounded miles away.

Right now, there was only himself. Himself and the floor that was getting closer and closer. And as his body made contact, he barely felt it. His mind focusing on one single thought as his vision darkened.

_Maybe it's not just a cold. _

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**Oops, now don't kill me please. **

**Thank you all for reading, and a special thanks for those who took the time to review last chapter. It was very much appreciated, so I am going to take the time to respond to a few of them:**

_**Pure'Midnight: I did! See! (: And to your questions: you will just have to continue reading. But I will say this. I cannot write extremely sad stories without bawling my eyes out, which I hate doing. So I'll be trying to keep it from getting to bad. **_

_**mshrmit: Um.. Well I am going to say in advance, SORRY! **_

_**Kiley: Thank you so much for this review, it really made my day and kept me writing. So again, thank you. :D**_

_**Santiva Potter: Thank you so much, and I hope you continue to like it. **_

_**CatPhish: I found the ending of that movie extremely sad. I mean, I bawled like a baby. So I promise, I will try to NEVER make a story that sad. (: Promise.**_

_**Danae Jo: I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens. (:**_

**Please R&R and I will post another chapter as soon as I can. School is getting a bit busy, but I will try to keep it at a steady pace. **

**But let me know what you think, it helps a lot to hear your opinions.  
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**Thank you so much,**

**-EgonMesser**


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